Mickelson hopes to break runner-up streak

His best chance to win might be this weekend

June 16, 2010|By Jeff Shain, Tribune newspapers

Phil Mickelson has had a front-row seat to the U.S. Open trophy ceremony more times than he'd like to recount.

Payne Stewart's win turned out to be the last of his cut-short career. Mickelson later stood by when Retief Goosen won a survivor's duel at crusty Shinnecock. Two years later, Geoff Ogilvy was the beneficiary of his Winged Foot follies.

Last year, Mickelson might have delivered the best line at muddy Bethpage when it was found the U.S. Golf Association was short on runner-up medals for the ceremony.

"I've got four. I'm good," Mickelson quipped.

Rush shipment eventually delivered Mickelson's fifth medal. No one in the 110-year history of the U.S. Open has claimed more — all coming in the last 11 years.

A runner-up finish nearly every other year. That's a decade-long run of Open excellence.

Then again, no trophies.

"Sure, the pessimist is going to look at all the things (someone) hasn't done or I haven't done," Mickelson said as he met with reporters this week at Pebble Beach.

Hey, Sam Snead never won a U.S. Open. Arnold Palmer never won a PGA Championship, nor did Tom Watson. The Masters continually escaped Lee Trevino.

"(Jack) Nicklaus never won in Canada," Mickelson volunteered, drawing chuckles from the assembled scribes.

In other words, plenty of splendid golf resumes have holes.

Suffice it to say Mickelson has the tools to win a U.S. Open. Nor has the window necessarily closed on his best opportunities, even as he turned 40 on Wednesday.

"Just by finishing second five times, it goes to show you that he understands how to play Opens," Tiger Woods said. "This is the toughest event to win and he's been right there so many times. It's just a matter of time before he gets it done."

Mickelson's best chance, in fact, may be right in front of him.

He's no stranger to Pebble Beach, having won the PGA Tour's annual visit three times — most recently three years ago. His professional debut, in fact, came on the Monterey Peninsula at the 1992 Open.

That year found Mickelson tied for third after an opening 68 — then headed home after a second-round 81. It was a performance typical of his daredevil style, even though it's the only U.S. Open cut he has missed.

And as time went on, the lefty started to get a better sense of when to punch the Open accelerator and when to lay off.

"There are a lot of times when those greens are unhittable," Mickelson said. "So you have to (ask) where am I going to make par from. The front bunker? The back bunker? Hit it to that spot and make par."

Said British Open champ Stewart Cink: "Everybody is going to put themselves in the jail. He does a good job getting out of it."